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Ferrari dominant in Hungary, Mercedes laments bumpy circuit
The opening day of the Hungarian Grand Prix showcased an impressively strong Ferrari, while Mercedes struggled with new track conditions and upgrades yielded mixed results across the field.
By Michael de Vries - 2026-07-24T19:02:29.000Z - 3 min read
Opening day at the Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring immediately laid down the benchmark. While Ferrari impressed with a dominant showing at the top of the timesheets, Mercedes endured a disappointing start to the weekend. For several teams, Friday offered a first taste of new parts—or confirmation of lingering issues.
Charles Leclerc posted the fastest time in FP1, before teammate Lewis Hamilton topped the second practice session to seal a 1-2 for the team. The performance underscored the SF-26's prowess through slow-speed corners—an area Mercedes had feared coming in. Team principal Fred Vasseur hailed a "so far good" start and expressed satisfaction with the upgrade package. However, the team remained cautious, knowing the crucial qualifying battle has yet to be won—something Ferrari has failed to achieve so far this season in 2026.
Mercedes, by contrast, endured a troublesome Friday, with George Russell finishing as the top-placed driver for the team in fifth across both sessions. He voiced frustration over the newly resurfaced track, calling it bumpy and disruptive in braking zones, particularly into Turn 1. Teammate Kimi Antonelli struggled with rear lock-ups all afternoon, failing to get a representative lap on soft tyres in FP2. It promises to be a steep uphill battle, especially given Max Verstappen's strong form on similar low-speed tracks like Monaco.
For Aston Martin, which drew eyes with major new upgrades, Friday was a day of mixed fortunes. The debut of the revised AMR26 package suffered a false start when Lance Stroll suffered a suspension failure. Although it involved a non-upgraded component, it cost the Canadian significant track time. Team representative Pedro de la Rosa stressed that Stroll needs time to adapt to the car's "new feel" and "differing characteristics." Parts were even flown in from Silverstone to the Hungaroring to ensure Stroll had the latest specification.
Nevertheless, there were encouraging signs from the Aston Martin garage. Fernando Alonso sounded a cautiously optimistic note during practice, despite noticeable engine vibrations in the opening session. He reported no "big surprises" and noted there was no longer a "huge deficit in corners relative to the top of the midfield"—an observation echoed by rivals. Team principal Adrian Newey described the early indications as "promising," raising hopes that Aston Martin finally has a car capable of fighting rather than languishing at the back.
Beyond the front-runners, other teams also caught the eye. Lando Norris emerged as Ferrari's primary threat with third place in FP2, holding a comfortable margin over teammate Oscar Piastri, though Norris benefited from extra track time and new parts. Racing Bulls also made a statement; Liam Lawson led the midfield and ran ahead of Piastri, a positive sign. Both Racing Bulls cars carried the latest upgrades and looked ready to renew their battle with Audi, even on a less power-sensitive circuit.
At the other end of the scale, Alpine and Williams endured a rough start to the weekend. Alpine, the only team without reported upgrades in Hungary, struggled with a lack of grip and downforce. Pierre Gasly called it "one of the toughest Fridays so far," compounded by windy conditions. A crash for Franco Colapinto in FP2 added to their woes, leaving team engineers facing a long night. Williams also endured a tough day, plagued by rear tyre overheating and wind instability, as engineer Richard Frith confirmed. Lacking over three percent off the pace, it marked their worst margin of the season, leaving the team looking ahead to a major upgrade not expected until Baku.
The first day in Hungary offers a clear picture of the order of play. Ferrari appears to be the team to beat, while Mercedes must find answers. Aston Martin shows potential, but reliability and driver adaptation remain areas to address. Focus now shifts to qualifying, where teams will face the ultimate test of who truly has the speed to deliver at the top.